


Academia

by blackeyedqueen



Category: DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fake Homework lol, Frat Boy Tim, Librarian Jason, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Pining, Recreational Drug Use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-15
Updated: 2017-11-15
Packaged: 2019-02-02 12:56:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12727029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackeyedqueen/pseuds/blackeyedqueen
Summary: Tim is a frat brother and Jason is a librarian. They both have a stoner friend. One night they meet in a pot circle, and may or may not start pining for each other.





	Academia

**Author's Note:**

> Posted for DCU Bang 2017! PHEW, this was a lot of work but I'm glad to share it with you all. It's not as angsty as I usually go, so if you're looking for something light, you're in for a treat :).
> 
> [Beautiful Art with my partner, Jaykore!](http://jaykore.tumblr.com/post/167462819485/for-bisexualsucubus-third-piece-drawn-for-the) It's BEAUTIFUL, I tell you!

Tim is sitting on a plush, leather, but nonetheless dirtier than what it looks like sofa at a frat party on a Saturday night. The bass of the rap song currently blasting through the house is pulsating in his head. He’s not mad about it, it’s actually kind of pleasant and numbing to sit back and let the pulse of the bass consume him while he watches his fellow peers in all of their drunken college glory around him. There are girls in their nicest, tightest dresses and highest heels flirting with boys, kissing each other, dancing, and stumbling. And of course, there’s a keg. Just because this is the prestigious fraternity that his father and grandfather joined before him doesn’t mean that across the room there isn’t an over privileged rich kid attempting a very unattractive keg stand.

 

This is where Saturday nights find Tim. He sits on the sofa or stands by a wall, he nurses a beer, and he watches. Occasionally he makes small conversation with the brothers, with cute girls barking up the wrong tree, wanders through the house to see what else is going on; beer pong, making out, spilling drinks, _throwing_ drinks, kids in the backyard or basement smoking pot, and the occasional vomiting. For the most part he keeps to himself, speaks when spoken to, then turns in early. Tim’s attendance is usually required to these parties, as a brother. And while Tim generally likes parties, he just prefers parties with his friends. He has some acquaintances in the fraternity; a Big Brother who looks out for him (Dick Grayson, who actually _prefers_ to be called Dick), and a guy from his pledge class that Tim’s pretty sure got in just because he has great weed and he’s fun at parties (Roy Harper, who looks every part the stoner that you’d think he would). He likes to say things like, “Timmy, you ever gonna get the stick out of your ass and loosen up at one of these parties?” And thinks that the hell they went through to pledge for the frat has made them close pals, and Tim will admit he sees no reason to _not_ like the guy, but he wouldn’t necessarily call them _friends_ . Not like he would say about Kon or Bart or Cassie or even Steph, who, unfortunately, _all_ decided on school in Metropolis while Tim chose to go to Gotham University. Tim _wishes_ one of them could be here now. He’s kind of sick of sitting alone by himself at parties. But he doesn’t really fit in with the other brothers. He’s awkward, geeks out over technology and science, and would prefer to be in his bed watching YouTube videos of vine compilations. He makes puns and dumb jokes. He’s what most would call a dork. Dick tries to make him feel comfortable whenever he can, but he’s busy with his own life for the most part. He’s got his own classes and his own friends, and his own apartment off campus. So Tim mostly keeps to himself.

 

Tim thinks he’s just about ready to turn in. He’s finished his one drink and makes his way over to a trashcan (save the pledges from having to clean up after him in the morning, though it’s not like he’d leave much of a mess anyway), and someone stops him. It’s Roy, with a large blunt between his fingers, which doesn’t surprise Tim at all.

 

“Hey, Tim, you wanna hit this blunt with us?” he smiles, eyes glassy and a little red, looking vaguely hopeful that Tim will agree.

 

Roy offers to smoke Tim up about every other party or so, sometimes switching between thinking Tim is a lost cause, to thinking maybe just this one time he’ll get the frigid Tim Drake to take a puff. Though, it wouldn’t be the first time Tim’s smoked. He had done it just a couple times with Kon and Bart. Never too much, but enough to feel warm and floaty, enough to laugh at stupid shit and eat an entire pizza himself, enough to cuddle up to Kon. The smell alone makes him a little nostalgic and homesick for those careless moments, and that almost makes him turn down the offer.

 

He tries to back out, says he’s just about to turn in for the night, but Roy’s smile just grows wider and easier as he says, “Don’t worry this will relax you, put you right to sleep.”

 

Tim looks warily at who’s with him that he will also be smoking with.

 

A couple of brothers, a guy that Tim vaguely recognizes from a class or two, and a guy that Tim completely does not recognize. The other guy is tall and built, undeniably attractive, with an edgy hairstyle that has a streak of white in the front.

 

Tim doesn’t even remember ever seeing him on campus in passing, he’s so unrecognizable, and with the way his stomach flips a little while looking at him, Tim is pretty sure he’d remember seeing this guy at least once.

 

Attractive or not, this guy is still a stranger. They’re pretty much all strangers, Roy less than the others. But there’s still this slight pull, this urge to just do it.

 

So with a surge of confidence that he wants to act upon before he loses it, he nods. He can feel his heart picking up and his cheeks getting warm, but he knows when he calms down it’ll be fine. He’ll have socialized and he’ll have a nice buzz that will help him get to sleep. It’ll be fine.

 

This will all just be fine.

 

* * *

 

It’s still early in the fall semester and the air in the backyard is still pretty warm and just a little sticky with the need for rain. There are a few people on the porch laughing, clutching their cups like lifelines, but still the liquid sloshes out. It’s that time of night.

 

They head over by the fire pit, where there is currently no fire, but there are still logs and chairs gathered around in the circle, which is perfect for their plans. Once they’re seated, the uneasiness starts to bleed away, replaced by acute excitement. Tim is being included, he’s _allowed_ himself to be included. It’s a little exhilarating to be welcomed into something new. It’s a feeling that he hasn’t felt since he rushed for the frat which quickly dissipated with the more dumb shit they made him do to become a brother; the cleaning, the rituals, just everything that was an added task to his already busy schedule. But he never backed down because he didn’t want to disappoint his father. So he sat alone at parties once a week, and sat alone at meetings once a week, and forced himself to work with his brothers during frat events.

 

This is the first time since he joined the frat that doesn’t necessarily feel forced, feels like it will be fun, feels like a step in the right direction.

 

When they pass him the blunt, he tries to remember how to hit it without choking, fails, gets a few snickers from the boys around him. But it’s fine. In a few moments he’ll be feeling good.

 

He gets a few hits and then everything feels good. The familiar warm feeling settles inside him, he can feel a slight smile on his face. The leaves in the trees above them dance, the shadows twitch around him and he finds it all so amusing. He wants to say, “Look, they’re dancing,” but with what feels like a huge amount of control, he refrains. None of them would care anyway. They’re all engrossed in their conversation that Tim is only half listening to. And that’s fine, because he’s just watching and feeling and he likes it.

 

“You’re a quiet one,” a low voice says from beside him, one that he doesn’t recognize and so it startles him. He turns and looks and _oh._ The Attractive Man. He is just… _so attractive._

 

“You’re a pretty one,” Tim replies before he can stop himself. He wants to feel embarrassed afterwards, but doesn’t. He means it. The dude is pretty.

 

The guy snorts. “Yeah, I get that sometimes.”

 

 _Of course he would,_ Tim thinks. _Because it’s true_.

 

The guy is looking across the circle now, and Tim follows his eyes curious what he could be looking at. And...

 

_Oh…_

 

Another blunt has appeared and the guys across from them are doing… the _hottest_ thing right now. One is blowing their smoke into the other’s mouth, hands on necks, pulled close, almost like they could be kissing. Oh, they _are_ kissing now…

 

Tim finds himself entranced. The two boys across from them are smiling into each other’s mouths, eyes glazed and hands groping. It almost feels like he shouldn’t be watching, and that makes it all the harder to look away.

 

Out of the corner of his eye he see the man next to him is now hitting the new blunt. Tim turns in time to see the smoke drift from his lips and the blunt offered in his direction. But he’s still thinking of the guys who are now standing up and holding hands and scampering off. Tim can’t help but watch them as they leave; they’re giggling and they’re handsy and they are so engrossed in each other and Tim can’t look away.

 

“You get off on that kinda stuff or something?” The man next to him says. The boys have gone back in the house and Tim hadn’t noticed he’d been staring at the door they just went through.

 

“Um,” he says, turning back to the man next to him. “Uh, no? I don’t think so. I don’t know…”

 

“Hey, calm down, man. Didn’t mean to make you question your sexuality,” the guy smirks, still extending the blunt to Tim, but Tim has yet to take it, thinking too much about the conversation with the Attractive Man.

 

“Well, I don’t really question it. I like girls. And boys. I think I like boys more… I don’t know.”

 

The man looked at Tim for a long moment, taking another hit from the blunt, tired of waiting for Tim to take it. “Well, why don’t you take another hit of this and stop thinking about it.”

 

Tim takes another hit, passes the blunt, then looks back up to the leaves.

 

The man talks to him again. “Have you kissed any boys?”

 

Tim chuckles a bit. “Didn’t you say to stop thinking about it?”

 

“I did. But, I mean, if you wanted to think about it… I could help you out.”

 

“Help out how?”

 

At some point the man had moved his chair closer and he’d gotten the blunt again. “Let me show you?”

 

Tim turns to him, intrigued. The man takes a hit, but then leans in toward Tim, reaching out for his face, and Tim just… went with it.

 

He leans in, warm hands on his jaw and neck, pulling him in closer to the other man’s mouth. Their lips connect, and as Tim opens his mouth to deepen the kiss, the man blows the smoke into his mouth.

 

If Tim wasn’t floating high enough before, he is definitely flying now. He can't help the giggle that bubbles up from his gut, laughing into the other man’s mouth as they go back to kissing, tasting each other’s beer and weed and spit.

 

The other man pulls away after a moment, “Damn, I know I’m not great but no need to laugh.”

 

This only makes Tim laugh harder, but he trails his hands up, wringing them in the other man’s shirt and pulling him in close again. Then they're kissing again, the other man’s hands traveling from Tim’s neck down to his chest and then his waist. Tim’s hands go the opposite direction, traveling up and around the other man’s neck, fingers instinctively tightening in his hair. He accidentally pulls a bit, making the other man whimper into his mouth. One of the other man’s hands moves to Tim’s thigh, squeezing then moving to just lightly touch Tim’s dick through his jeans, and--

 

“Whoa, hey Jason! Timmy! You two can, y’know, go inside.” Someone called from across the circle, Tim thinks it's Roy but he isn't sure.

 

Tim doesn’t want to go inside; the only place he wants to move was into this other guy’s lap. Every touch sends sparks through him, makes him feel elated, and he only wants  _more_. The other man starts to pull away, and Tim can't help but follow with his mouth. He's able to sneak in two or three more kisses before the other man is able to pull away.

 

His eyes are glassy, the blue sharp and intense against the pink of his bloodshot eyes, and he's looking at Tim in a way that Tim can't decipher. He licks his lips before he says, “I think I’m gonna go, actually.”

 

Tim is  _distraught_ . Where? _Where_ was this other man going to go?!

 

“Wait, wait,” Tim tries to say as the other man stood up. “Why? Where? Was it bad? I thought it was _great_ ,” Tim can't stop himself from saying, can't stop himself from also standing up.

 

Roy had at some point appeared by their sides. “Oh, don’t worry Timmy, Jaybird here thought it was great, too,” he snickers. “A little _too_ great.”

 

“What? Then why is he leaving.”

 

“Because I’ve smoked enough and now it’s time to go home, that’s why,” He says turning and leaving.

 

“Hey, I’ll catch up with you later Jay!” Roy calls after him, then turns to Tim. “And _you_ I’m gonna take up to put you to bed.”

 

Tim pouts. “You don’t need to walk me to my room. It’s literally a few feet away.”

 

“Dude, you’re a little high right now, I just wanna make sure you don’t get sidetracked by any more hot dudes and fall onto anyone else’s mouth.”

 

“I didn’t _fall_ into his mouth… He grabbed it, and he _kissed_ me, and there was smoke, and Roy it felt _so good_ … Where did he go?”

 

“Save the gory details for your spank bank, dude. Jason went home.”

 

“ _Jason_.”

 

“Yes, Jason.”

 

“Why did he go home?”

 

“I dunno, he probably didn’t want to bone you on the first date.”

 

“Date?!”

 

“Just an expression. Calm down.”

 

Roy keeps a hand on his shoulder and weaves him through the crowd, high fiving with a couple brothers as they walked past. Tim thinks someone made a comment about _Whoa did Drake loosen up and actually have fun for once?_ But he doesn't pay attention to it. He's just busy thinking about _Jason_ … Jason’s eyes, and his lips, and his funky hair, and his hands and--

 

“Okay, here we are.” Roy opens the door and steers Tim to his bed. “You good? You need to get some shut-eye, we’ll chat in the morning.” Roy winks before he left Tim alone in his room.

 

Tim sits on his bed for a while, absently rubbing his hands across his comforter, watching the things in his room warp and shift. Maybe the weed is hitting him harder now, or he didn’t notice until he was alone, but he's _really_ high. He doesn't know how he was expected to sleep, his mind loud and shapes moving and the taste of Jason still on his tongue, the _feel_ of his hands still on his skin.

 

Tim lays back, undoes his jeans, shucks them off, and absently pulls his dick through his boxers. It doesn't take him long until he's coming, and he may have been panting Jason’s name.

 

* * *

 

Jason wakes up the next morning with a headache and a dry mouth and the need to roll over and sleep for another hour or three. But _work_.

 

Work isn't difficult. Work is sitting at a desk in the library and helping people research stuff and find books. Or, at least that’s what he's supposed to do, but more often than not he's being asked questions about computers that he isn’t qualified to answer and telling people what buildings are where on campus. But the thing is, going to work involves waking up and getting out of bed, which Jason is _really_ not in the mood to do.

 

Though, despite all odds, he makes himself roll over, he chugs the glass of water he left on his night stand the night before, and he exerts all of his energy to _stand_.

 

Jason took a moment to reflect on the night before. He remembers Roy dragging him out to one of his dumb frat parties with promises of good weed, he remembers the pulsing party music blaring throughout the house, he remembers feeling chill in the circle, passing a blunt. But then he remembers blue eyes, soft hair, and a tongue inside his mouth.  

 

Oh, _great_. He made out with some frat boy douche bag. A good buzz tends to make Jason a little handsy, a little flirty. This wouldn’t be the first time he’s made out with a stranger at a party while under the influence. But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t usually end up regretting it.

 

As far as Jason can remember of the night before, it was definitely not the worst kiss he’d ever had, though not the best either. The shotgunning was a nice touch, something he hadn’t done since high school, and the other guy was _definitely_ into that as well. Jason would have preferred to be in a bedroom, then they could have--

 

Nope, _no_ , none of that. Jason did not need to be getting caught up with a kid in a frat. He did not need to get caught up with some dude who got off on doing keg stands and chugging beers and coasting through college with their ridiculous amounts of money. (Okay, that wasn’t fair, Roy doesn’t have a lot of money, but he does smoke up a bunch of rich assholes who do every weekend, and more often than not he tries to get Jason to smoke with these rich assholes, too. Jason rarely indulges).

 

So Jason throws on a clean smelling shirt and some non stained jeans and grabs his glasses to head off to work, determined to forget about the frat douche he was tonguing down the night before.

 

But of course, Roy will not let him forget. Roy comes into the library while Jason is working to make sure he doesn’t forget.

 

“Well, well, if it isn’t my friend, Casanova,” Roy greeted, smirking as he strode up to the reference desk

 

Jason scoffs. “I made out with one guy. Casanova was notorious for sleeping around with a bunch of women. Try again.”

 

“Damn, no need to get all hostile, Todd. I’m just here to check in on my best buddy.”

 

“Excuse me, sir, but is there a book I can help you find? This is, after all, the Reference Desk, not the Talk About Jason’s Romantic Exploits Desk,” Jason sighed, looking back to his computer monitor and pretending he actually had anything pulled up worth looking at besides his oh so riveting game of Spider Solitaire.

 

“Exploits? As in plural? So you admit there’s more than one?” Roy is still grinning and Jason wants to punch him.

 

“I’m serious Harper, do you need somethin’ or are you just _trying_ to piss me off while I’m at work?” Jason fixes Roy with a pointed look then.

 

Roy sighs. “Calm _down_ , dude. I’m not here to give you a hard time. But seriously. You and Tim? I never would have seen that shit in a million years.”

 

“He’s not the first frat asshole I’ve had my lips on, Harper. Keep up.”

 

“No, no, I don’t mean that. Tim’s like… Not like the other brothers. Not really. I mean, usually at parties he just hangs out for an hour or two and then goes to bed, he doesn’t really _party,_ y’know? Usually doing some nerdy shit like researching or studying or making ‘enhancements’ to his computer. He comes across kind of anti-social, but I just don’t really think he’s into the frat stuff. It was more his dad’s schtick or something. So I’ve been _trying_ to get him to come around. After all, we’re _brothers_ or whatever, right? And he always says no thanks. But man, something about last night was seriously sign of the end of the world or something.” Jason let Roy ramble on about Tim the Loner, killing time. He was surprised to find himself kind of interested. But then he reminded himself, so what if the kid’s a loner? That’s not Jason’s problem. He doesn’t need to have anything to do with some rich kid asshole.

 

“So did you come all they way down here just to tell me the kid’s got daddy issues or something?”

 

“Man, why do you have to be all… _grumpy_ . All I’m trying to do is tell you that last night was wild. Or, at the very least, _interesting_ .” He chuckles to himself. “Hey, maybe I _am_ the best weed dealer-slash-supplier in Gotham?” he says, a dopey smile spreading across his face.

 

“Yeah, they oughta call your shit the Love Potion.” Jason cracked a smile at his own joke before turning back to his computer.

 

“Ha _ha_ . Whatever, I’ll catch you later, man. Sorry to disrupt your oh so _busy_ work day.”

 

Jason balled up a piece of paper and threw it in Roy’s direction as he readied himself to leave, and Roy laughed and batted it away before heading back to the entrance.

 

Jason leaned back in his chair. Now Jason wasn’t sure what would be worse, that Tim be the obnoxious party boy he imagined, or that he be the boring loner that Roy made him seem.

 

Either way, Jason was _sure_ that now he was going to stop thinking about it. The whole situation was irrelevant to him now. He doesn’t care if this Tim guy kissing him was out of character. Tim isn’t the first guy to lock lips with Jason and he surely won’t be the last. It was just another typical party makeout situation.

 

Just an offhand thing and nothing more.

 

* * *

 

Tim would really _love_ to stop thinking about Jason Todd.

 

It’s been about a week and a half since the party. Hell, another party has already come and gone, but all Tim can think about is the hottest guy in the circle breathing smoke into his mouth and kissing him.

 

Actually, forget “hottest guy in the circle” because Tim is pretty sure he’s the hottest guy _on campus_ , if not the whole city. And Tim can’t stop thinking about his eyes, his hands, his voice, everything about him.

 

And even now as he sits in front of his computer, trying to concentrate on his studying, he still cannot stop thinking about Jason Todd.

 

He thinks a trip to the library to study in an environment removed from the incident will help him focus.

 

But of course, he is wrong. Because who is that there at the reference desk in the middle of the library? Mr. Hottest Guy On Campus, Jason Todd himself.

 

Tim stops in his tracks. Jason sits at a large, wood desk, a computer slightly off to one side adding a light blue illumination to his face that shows off his bone structure, and for _god’s sake_ he's wearing _glasses_ , and Tim isn’t sure he can deal with that right now. He quickly composes himself and makes a bee-line to a table in the back, making sure to look as discreet and unnoticeable as possible so that Jason doesn’t look up and notice him.

 

Tim had made a note of all the times he could have _possibly_ seen Jason before the party and came up with nothing, and he especially didn’t expect him to be around in the library. But of course, Tim didn’t spend too much time in the library. He was a big fan of locking his door and putting in headphones to drown out the rest of the frat house. He knew how to track down and get any kind of information he’d need from the internet, so he didn’t have much need to go and do research or anything at the library.

 

And of course, the _one time_ he needs to get out to focus, the one time he would rather be in the library, his distraction is there.

 

Tim pulls out his laptop, his notebook, his textbook. He has everything he needs to get his work done. He pulls out his pen, shoves ear buds in his ears and blasts his music, determined to work. And he _tries_. But, the one thing he doesn’t have is the focus. Without going to a completely different floor of the library, there isn’t anywhere Tim can go where he doesn’t see Jason in some way. And that’s why Tim finds himself staring at the back of Jason’s head an hour later, slumped with his chin resting against one hand with the other holding his pen as he chews excessively on it.

 

At some point, Tim decides if he’s going to get _any_ work done, he is going to have to confront Jason. So then he spends another thirty minutes internally debating on _how_ to confront him, and debating if it’s even worth it to confront, if he should confront him or just keep not doing his homework. Tim even debates just leaving the library altogether and finding somewhere else to study, maybe calling Dick to pick him up and take him to his apartment. Dick is good for rescuing him when he needs to get away. But then Tim thinks, what is he going to do if by chance he has some off class with Jason one day? Or he comes to another party and his in his place of living again? Is he going to turn and hide every time he sees the Hottest Guy On Campus?

 

Tim thinks he could get away with that. But also that it’s better not to try.

 

Tim stands up and sits back down twice before he finally stands up and walks round to the front of the reference desk. He stands there for a moment, just looking, and Jason doesn’t bother acknowledging him. He’s buried in a book and plans to not be bothered unless absolutely necessary.

 

Jason’s very clear “Don’t Talk to Me” vibe is almost enough to make Tim not only turn back, but leave the library altogether. But he has to say _something_ to Jason or he will never have peace of mind again.

 

Will Tim is trying to psyche himself up to say something, Jason looks up from his book, eyebrow tilted up and looking expectant.

 

“Can I help you?”

 

“Um. I just. So, I…”

 

Jason sighs, dog ears his page, and shuts the book. “Look, if this is about that stupid party, don’t make it weird, okay? People make out at parties, and we are no exception. Don’t worry, I’m not going to call you up for a booty call in the middle of the night or something, if you’re worried about that. It was just a one time thing. We good?”

 

Tim’s brain short circuits a moment, and quite frankly, _no,_ that is _not good_. Tim wouldn’t mind being Jason’s middle of the night booty call. But, honestly, he didn’t know what he was hoping to accomplish by confronting Jason, but he didn’t think he was going to get such a cold shoulder.

 

“Jesus, look, don’t be so _offended_ , alright? It was fun, you’re a great kisser, and you’re going to make someone very happy some day. But frat guys aren’t my type. No hard feelings.”

 

Tim didn’t even know he looked offended, but he’s not always the best at keeping his emotions off his face.

 

“I’m not offended,” he argues. “I just, um. Yeah, you know it’s cool…”

 

 _Yeah, you know, it’s cool_? Tim tells himself to stop talking.

 

“Great.” Jason gives him a tight lipped and insincere smile, then reaches to grab his book again.

 

“Well, actually,” Tim rushes before he loses Jason’s attention, “I _do_ actually need some help.”

 

Jason shuts his book, straightens up, and puts on a very obvious Work Face. “Alright, what can I help you with?” He says, coming out like a rehearsed line.

 

Tim’s mind floats back to a week and a half before, sitting around a cold fire pit with the smell of skunk weed all around him and Jason’s husky voice. “ _I could help you out_.”

 

“Um. Research. I have a research project.”

 

“Okay, great. _What_ can I help you with?”

 

“Right. Well. I’m trying to find some information, but I’m having a hard time.”

 

Tim takes a moment to drone on about his “research project.” Tim doesn’t have a research project. If he did, he certainly wouldn’t need Jason’s help finding information. Tim can gain access to any document he could ever need with some advanced hacking skills and detective work, which is not something he tells anyone, ever. Asking for help with fake research from a university work study librarian is definitely on the opposite of the spectrum. In about three minutes, he’s weaved a story about a Big Important Mid Term Paper and needing research on some obscure articles about computer programming and hacking.

 

Jason hums, turns to the computer and begins pulling up the library’s databases. After a moment, he turns the screen towards Tim and asks him, “You ever used these before?”

 

Tim shakes his head, because why not go all out and play lost idiot at this point? Though, there is some truth, given that Tim only rarely uses the databases. He uses them to scratch the surface, and then takes that information to go deeper.

 

With more patience than he thought he could ever muster, he listens to Jason explain the library databases like he’s an infant, and they talk through articles that could be helpful and some book recommendations. Tim has Jason email the article links and Jason writes down the books and the call numbers on a sticky note.

 

“Alright, this should get you started, Happy studying.” Jason gives him another tight, fake smile.

 

“Um, right. And I can come back to you for more help, right?”

 

“As long as you see me sitting behind this desk.”

 

Tim nods, gives a small smile and an awkward wave and then heads back to his table. His mind is already thinking of future questions to ask Jason, about how the articles just don’t give quite _enough_ information, is there anything else he can find? God, he’s in too deep now. Fake projects, fake questions, fake problems. What the hell is he getting himself into?

 

* * *

 

Jason knew it would only be a matter of time before Tim showed up in the library. Most college students end up at a library sooner or later. Jason had just kind of hoped it would be later.

 

Jason has noticed he’s been a bit aggressive about his feelings toward Tim, which are no feelings at all. _No feelings at all_ , he keeps telling himself. Probably because he keeps thinking about the night of the party, which is not typical for him.

 

It’s typical to makeout with people at parties. Tim is not the first, nor will he be the last person Jason has swapped spit with. But for some reason, he has to keep reminding himself that. He has to keep reminding himself to not get hung up about it and just forget it.

 

But then Tim stood in front of the reference desk like a nervous school girl asking for help on a research project and Jason was once again face to face with the oddly endearing boy and he had to be professional. Jason would like to give himself a pat on the back for coming off like he was unbothered when the back of his mind just kept replaying Tim’s fingers tangled in the hair at the back of his head.

 

Jason's concerned about his state of mind. It’s not often he gets hung up on something like this. Maybe it’s because Tim is so nice to look at, or maybe the weed is making his memory seem like it was better than it was. But either way, he couldn’t get Tim off the brain and he was surprised to find that one morning he woke up hard after a dream where and he and Tim did a little more than makeout at that fire pit.

 

He knew he needed to just hopefully not see Tim again and let the situation work itself deep into his memories so he can live his damn life again. Yet Roy Harper is standing in his apartment and arguing with him about going to _another_ frat party anyway.

 

“I don’t think you’re hearing me,” Jason is saying. “I am not going to another one of your stupid parties.”

 

“When did you become such a boring ass?” Roy is downright pouting. Jason had blown off the last two parties, and it isn't like he goes to them often, anyway. But Roy is amazed with the fact that this Tim kid actually had fun at this party. As Roy puts it, it was like watching an animal outside of his natural habitat. Not Jason’s problem.

 

“I’ve always been a boring ass. Look, I don’t care about what this Tim kid does or does not do at parties. It’s not my problem. I don’t need to be there to draw him out.”

 

“Apparently you do! The last two parties, he was only out for, like, twenty minutes before he went back to his room.”

 

Jason huffs. “Well, he’s probably working on that stupid ass research project. Wait until midterms are over, then bug him. And _stop_ bugging me.”

 

Roy looks at him confused. “What research paper?”

 

“I don’t know, some programming class research paper.”

 

“Where did you hear that from?”

 

What is this, a game of twenty questions? “How the fuck do you think I found out? I work in the library, he was there. Use your head, man.”

 

Roy looks at Jason like he has two heads for a moment. And then proceeded to bust out laughing. “Christ, are you _serious_?! Oh god, this is better than I thought!”

 

Jason has absolutely has no idea what is going on. “What the hell is so funny, Harper?!”

 

Roy took a moment to compose himself before explaining. “Tim doesn’t have a research paper, and if he did, he wouldn’t need help with it. Oh, _god_ , I can’t believe he made up an excuse to talk to you!”

 

Jason can’t either. “He probably just didn’t tell you about it.”

 

“Man, that’s not the point. Even if he didn’t, I’m telling you he wouldn’t need help. Like yeah, he’s a computer science major, but he doesn’t need a degree, I fucking swear. The kid is a genius. And if he doesn’t know the answer, he knows how to find it. You know how many brothers offer to pay him to do their homework? And he actually takes them up on it, too.”

 

Jason takes a moment to process the information. So Tim did not need his help in the library. He lied for a reason to talk to Jason. He made Jason waste his time, he lied, and Jason doesn’t know whether to be irritated or flattered.

 

“Fuck, you should see your face right now. You look like I broke your brain or something,” Roy is giggling again.

 

Jason can feel the words bubbling up out of his mouth before he can stop them, so frustrated about this whole situation with this stupid boy that he would just like to forget about.

 

“Dude, you don’t get it! I can’t stop thinking about that… that… Asshole! His stupid face when he watched those other kids making out, his laugh when I kissed him, his stupid hands on my body, but I keep telling myself whatever, right?! I just need to forget about this kid, right? And he shows up at my work, and lies to me to get me to help him for no reason! And he stood there, leaning over the desk, combing his fingers through his dumb long hair, and I’m just fighting to stay composed. What the fuck am I supposed to make of that, Harper?!”

 

Somewhere in Jason’s rant, Roy had become a little more composed, his laughter dying off and now he’s looking at Jason like it’s the easiest answer in the world.”

 

“Todd, you fucking idiot. You’ve got it bad for this guy. And apparently he’s into you, too.”

 

Jason would like to argue it, he really would. He doesn’t want to be into a frat bro. He doesn’t want to be into anyone, really, but this kid much less. But Roy’s were echoing in his head.

 

 _You’ve got it bad_.

 

“Shit.”

 

* * *

 

“Shit.” Tim moans after dropping his head against Dick’s shitty “dining room” table.

 

Tim uses the term dining room lately, as it’s moreso just a tiny, dinged up table thrown up to the left of the couch.

 

“Don’t pout, Timmy,” Dick playfully chides, sliding Tim a hot cup of coffee. “You made this mess, now you have to live with the consequences. Or come clean.”

 

Tim had made the mistake of going back to the library and going to Jason with more fabricated questions. Jason took his questions in stride, but then threw Tim through a lip when he asked more questions about the paper, asked how the paper was coming.

 

“Well, you know,” Jason said, and Tim could swear he saw mischief sparkling somewhere in his eyes, “I’m a literature major. I could edit your paper for you.”

 

Tim couldn’t fathom actually _writing_ the fake paper so he said, “Oh, no, I couldn’t. This is really great help right here, I think I’ll be fine to write it.”

 

Jason smirked. “Well, it’s just that I’m good friends with Roy and he’s worried about you. I guess he hasn’t seen you around much, working so much on this paper. I insist. It’s no trouble to me at all. Let me help you out, so Roy stops worrying.”

 

Tim had never said anything to Roy about the paper. That means Jason must have been talking to Roy about it. About him. He supposed that was bound to happen, with Roy being the only mutual connection they have. But something still seemed off. But he couldn’t concentrate much on that, because the more he looked at Jason’s smirk, the more he wanted to kiss it off of him.

 

So instead of arguing any further, he nodded dumbly and said he’d come in on Friday with what he’d had written already.

 

Unfortunately, tomorrow is Friday and Tim has nothing of this fake project written, because he is focusing on _real_ assignments.

 

“I can’t come clean,” Tim whines, voice muffled but speaking directly into the table his head is still resting on. “How embarrassing is that? ‘Hey I made up a paper to have a reason to talk to you.’ Who am I, Cady Heron?”

 

“ _I pretended to be bad at math so that you’d help me. But the thing is, I’m not really bad at math. I’m actually really good at math. You’re kind of bad at math_ ,” Dick says with a fake slur, nonchalantly quoting _Mean Girls_ while he pours his own cup of coffee.

 

Tim groans again, fighting the urge to bang his head against the table again. “Oh my god. That’s _exactly_ what I’m doing. I’m a teen girl cliche.”

 

Dick snorts as he sits across from Tim, leaning back in his chair. “At least you’re not failing your class just to talk to him.”

 

Tim doesn’t answer but just sighs again.

 

“Drink your coffee before it gets cold. I’m gonna make you pay for my coffee if you're gonna waste it.”

 

* * *

 

Jason stands on the back porch at the frat house, sharing a bowl with Roy and freezing his ass off and regretting the decision to leave his house.

 

The fact that Tim actually threw together a fucking paper to keep getting fake help from him was _astounding_ . Albeit, it was not a good paper, but the guy was still determined not to let the facade fall. Jason still doesn’t know whether to be mad or feel good that Tim was willing to go to such lengths. Either way, he was going to clear the air about the situation _tonight_. Jason is done with the games.

 

Roy coerced him into smoking a bowl with him, which did not require much persuasion, but he _had_ intended on doing this with a level head. Roy has other plans.

 

“You need to chill out, dude, you’re so tense.”

 

Jason, pointedly, did not answer and instead inhaled more smoke.

 

“I don’t know why you’re all tense anyway, you have the upper hand. You know his secret.”

 

“I’m not trying to have an upper hand,” Jason says. “I just wanna talk.”

 

Roy hums. And then a moment later, he says “Are you nervous because you like him.”

 

“Fuck off, Roy.”

 

Jason turns away and heads into the house, leaving Roy in the back to finish his bowl alone.

 

Jason’s eyes scan the room, looking for Tim. He looks around the keg, on the couch, on the stairs, by the punch. He doesn’t see the kid anyway, then remembers he’s supposed to be some loner wallflower, so he’s probably leaning against a wall somewhere.

 

So lo and behold, he finds Tim against the wall in the living room, leaning against the wall and sipping out of a red solo cup. He’s just staying back and watching everything around him. And then his eyes land on Jason. Jason inhales and then comes over to him.

 

Jason hadn’t really thought about exactly what he’d say when he saw Tim, so he surprises himself by saying something dumb, like “Fancy seeing you here.”

 

Tim stares at him a moment before saying, “Well, I live here.”

 

 _Right_. Jason just nods and does his best to not be embarrassed.

 

“I should probably be the one saying that,” Tim says after taking another sip.

 

Jason snorts. “Well, our good friend Roy has once again dragged me out of my cave to socialize.” That makes Tim let out a genuine giggle, which makes a genuine smile spread across Jason’s face. Jason doesn’t dwell on it.

 

They stand together for a moment, just watching the rest of the party. The dancers, the guys yelling at each other over the music and chugging cans of beer, the various groups of people standing together and socializing. And Jason realized, maybe for the first time, that Tim really didn’t seem like someone he would stereotype as a fraternity brother. He wasn’t getting wasted, he wasn’t flirting with a bunch of people, he wasn’t playing beer pong or hanging out around the keg. That’s another thing Jason decides not to think about.

 

“Turns out our old friend Roy has also let me in on a little secret,” Jason says, turning to look at Tim. He looks back at Jason curiously and then Jason continues. “I know about your research paper.”

 

Tim’s eyes go wide for a moment, and then he downs the rest of his drink.

 

“Um, I um…” Tim stammers a moment, but Jason cuts him off.

 

“Look, I’m not _mad_ ,” and he really isn’t. It just had took him until that moment to decide that he isn’t. “If it makes you feel any better, your fake research paper is more interesting that most real ones I’ve had to help with,” Jason says smirking.

 

Tim snorts, only slightly relieved. “Too bad the paper itself sucked.”

 

Jason laughed at that. “It really did. Honestly, I didn’t even think you’d write it. Why the hell would you do that?”

 

He thinks he sees a blush creep up on Tim’s cheeks as he looks down and shrugs, but it could just be the lighting.

 

“I’d have felt stupid if I’d just told you it was fake. Kind of like how I feel now.”

 

Jason shrugged, looking back out to the rest of the party. “You coulda just _not_ did it.”

 

“True… But I had to do something. I just… I couldn’t stop staring at you. And then you told me that the whole thing as stupid and basically acted like you never wanted to see me again, and I… I panicked.”

 

Ah yes, Jason did do that. Part of that was him telling himself that it was just a stupid one time thing and not to worry about it. That worked out _great_ for both of them.

 

Jason snorted and shook his head.

 

“Don’t worry about it, alright?”

 

Tim nodded and once again they stood together in silence. But Jason wanted to say more, wanted to talk to him, but… He didn’t know what about.

 

“So…” He starts, trying to think of something to make conversation about. “Roy says you’re probably better than my job than I am.” Jason had kind of meant it as a little joke, a light jab at himself, but instead Tim somberly nodded in agreement.

 

“Oh, yes,” he says. “You’re _terrible_. The sources and information you gave me were weak, things that I would usually use to just lay the groundwork of research.”

 

Jason flusters for a moment. “Well… Well, fuck you, too, then.”

 

Tim shoots him a look. “What?! You said it first, I was just agreeing! Did you want me to lie again?”

 

“No!” Jason almost shouts. “You didn’t have to be a dick about it.”

 

Tim just shrugs and says, “Well, it’s true. Just so you know, if you ever want any good information and you want it faster, I can find it.”

 

“Or you could just tell me your secret.”

 

Tim smirks. “Sorry, that’s a level five friendship is needed to unlock that information.”

 

Jason just stares at him and then a moment later Tim laughs at his speechlessness. Jason, annoyed, grabs Tim’s hand (he yelps and tries to yank it back, but Jason keeps his grip tight), and he pulls out the sharpie he usually keeps in his pocket to scribble his phone number on Tim’s hand.

 

“Here. Now you don’t need to bother me at work to talk to me. And then you can tell me all your secrets.”

 

Tim is really blushing now, but he still tries to laugh it all off. “Fat chance.”

 

“Whatever. Use it or don’t.”

 

“I won’t.”

 

“Okay, well. Time go crawl back into my cave,” Jason says, moving away from the wall. “Good night, Tim.”

 

Tim offers him a small smile, another real one, and Jason hated to admit that he really liked it. “Good night.”

 

* * *

 

Tim did not find the time to even think about Jason (for once) or his phone number, let alone use it. Finals were approaching at the time of the party and the following Monday left the campus in a last minute flurry to squeeze out the best grades they could in the last two weeks before finals. Tim was smart, but he wasn’t magic. He had to work his ass off for his grades, and if that spent hours designing programs to make sure he kept his 4.0, then he was going to do it.

 

Thursday nights are frat meetings. Frat meetings are loud and annoying and something Tim just does _not_ have the time for tonight. So he sat out, locked in his room, trying to blair his music in his ears to keep him focused. But then the walls felt like they were closing in and his bed looked really comfortable and he was one hour 38 of no sleep and this assignment was due in two days that he wasn’t nearly finished with. He needed out, he needed _out_ of this room and out the house. If he stayed in the room he’d end up asleep in his bed and there was nowhere else in the house he could concentrate.

 

He heads out to the library. He doesn’t even _think_ about Jason being there because all he can think about is finishing his work.

 

So he doesn’t even look around when he gets in the building, he just finds an empty table and he pulls out his laptop and he gets to work.

 

And he works for what feels like _hours_ , his shoulders hurt and his eyes burn and he almost agrees to allow himself a ten minute nap. _Fuck_ he needs coffee to keep going but he doesn’t want to get up from his project again, he just wants to finish.

 

He sits for a few minutes, working on his project and thinking about coffee and when the smell of coffee reaches his nose, Tim almost thinks he thought about coffee so hard he had willed it into existence in front of him. And then he notices the hand holding it, letting his eyes trail up the arm and the chest and the face and _oh_. It’s Jason.

 

“What are you doing here?” He says, absolutely thrown off and no longer thinking about the coffee.

 

“Uh, it’s the library. I work here.”

 

Tim checks the time, and just as he thought, it’s nearly midnight, and he knows Jason doesn’t work at this time. “It’s late.”

 

“It sure is,” Jason says, taking the seat across from him. “Library stays open late around finals. I volunteered for a few late shifts.”

 

“Oh…” Tim reaches out and takes a sip of the coffee, almost moaning as the bitter liquid hits his tongue. “Fuck, I needed this.”

 

“You need sleep.”

 

“Can’t,” Tim says, rubbing at his temples. “Need to finish this.”

 

“Due tomorrow?”

 

“Saturday. Need to submit the code…”

 

“Okay, you can definitely allow yourself a few hours of sleep.”

 

Tim sighs heavily. “Please, stop saying ‘sleep’ or I’ll pass out at this table.”

 

“Trust me, I don’t put it past you. Let me take you home.”

 

The more Tim thinks about sleep the more he wants to just… lay down. And not get up.

 

Jason eventually gets up. “Come on,” he says, gathering Tim’s notebook and sliding it in his bag. “Save your work, it’s time to go.”

 

Tim doesn’t have any fight left and does as he’s told.

 

“Alright, let’s get you home,” Jason casually drapes an arm around Tim’s shoulders and Tim didn’t notice he was cold until Jason made him feel warm.

 

“No. Not the house.”

 

“Uh, why?”

 

“Roy.” Roy had already given Tim a hard time about getting Jason’s number and he’s sure Jason’s heard about it as well. Tim liked Roy well enough, but he just wished he wasn’t so interested in… _this_ , whatever it is.

 

“Right. Got it. My place, then.”

 

Tim was too tired to let himself think too much into it. He let Jason lead him off campus as they walked together in silence. It’s not a long walk, a few blocks, but Tim is too tired and it feels like it takes forever.

 

When they finally make it inside, Tim collapses like a sack of potatoes onto the sofa and Jason chuckles at him. Tim listens to Jason putz around the apartment a bit, trying not to pass out so soon, but he’s just. So tired.

 

* * *

 

Jason didn’t know why he thought this was a good idea, but he has Tim Drake almost passed out on his couch anyway just because of a not very well thought out decision.

 

He noticed Tim come in to the library, but his face screamed “DO NOT SPEAK TO ME” so Jason didn’t even bother trying to greet him. He’d started wondering if Tim was really going to never use his number, but he can see as he walks in that he must have been busy. Makes sense, that time of the semester, and all.

 

But every time he looked back to where Tim had set himself up, he looked more and more haggard. His shift ended and he brought over a coffee from the break room, but the kid was so wore out Jason _had_ to do something to get him to sleep.

 

And that’s how he ended up with Tim on his couch, offering him an old hoodie and a pair of gym shorts.  


“You oughta put these on before you knock out.”

 

“Hm?” Tim almost whined, and Jason almost didn’t have the heart to rouse him to change his clothes, but it’s worth it to not sleep in jeans, in his opinion.

 

“Come on, buddy. Pajamas.”

 

Tim reluctantly sits himself up and doesn’t even bother going into the bedroom or bathroom to take his hoodie and shirt off. Tim gives off the appearance of being a little skinny, a little lanky, but under the clothes he was fit and toned. Jason doesn’t get much a chance to ogle though, because now Tim is pulling the hoodie over his head. Then off come the jeans and on go the shorts.

 

“Better?” Jason asks and Tim nods sleepily.

 

He turns on his TV, flipping it to adultswim in time for an episode of Robot Chicken. He sits in the recliner off to the side with, watching the dumb cartoon with the volume down low. He thinks Tim is asleep until he mumbles about the cold.

 

Jason doesn’t really have an extra blanket except for what’s on his bed, and Tim seems to notice this when he goes in the bedroom and comes back out with his comforter.

 

“Is that from your bed?”

 

“Yep. Only one I got.”

 

Tim pouts. “Then what will you use?”

 

Jason shrugs, then throws the blanket over Tim.

 

Tim nuzzles down into it, eyes drifting close before the fall open again, looking at Jason glassily. “We can share it,” he mumbles into the blanket.

 

“Pft. Don’t worry, I’ll live without it.”

 

“I don’t mind…”

 

Jason debates for a moment. It’s not like they don’t like each other. But the idea of being so close together and sharing a blanket is… it’s not something Jason’s had in awhile. He craves it while simultaneously wanting to reject.

 

But now that he’s sat in the living room a bit, he’s noticed he’s a bit cold, too. He _could_ just put on a hoodie. Or. He could just get under the blanket.

 

“Move your feet,” he says, making his decision.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Your feet. Lift them.”

 

Tim lifts his feet up and Jason moves some of the blanket out the way, then he sits down on the couch and eases Tim’s feet on top of his lap. “Happy now? Now I have some blanket.”

 

“Ah yes. Now I can rest in peace,” Tim said as he yawned.

 

Eventually Tim did fall asleep, snoring softly into Jason’s one lone throw pillow. Jason couldn’t help but rub at the small of Tim’s back, rubbing his thumb along the sleep warm skin.

 

Jason’s eyes were growing heavy and he was trying to talk himself into getting up and going to bed, but he didn’t want to disturb Tim. Or leave him. Or sleep without a blanket. Yet for some reason, a few hours into the night, Tim woke long enough to tug Jason to lie down between him and the back of the couch, nuzzling into his chest in a half asleep stupor. Jason hadn’t had anyone this close to him in a long time, and he couldn’t help but bring his arms around Tim’s shoulders and pull him in closer.

 

* * *

 

Tim’s final project was completed in a timely manner, and he kicked his other assignments in the ass as well. The night he spent at Jason’s had all gone by in a blur and he’d woken up with his face pressed into Jason’s chest, yet… He wasn’t embarrassed or nervous or confused. It felt good. He was able to finish his project and study for his exams and he wasn’t losing his mind over Jason anymore.

 

They had… Something going on. _Something_ … He just didn’t know what.

 

And as his friends pester him about it over Christmas break, he still didn’t know what.

 

Tim, Kon, and Bart all sitting around in Tim’s overly large and overly messy bedroom back home, with cans of beer scattered among them. They’re gathered near the TV playing video games and drinking and joking and laughing and Tim hasn’t felt this at ease since he was home over the summer. But he couldn’t help but keep checking his phone for new messages.

 

“Waiting to hear from your boyfriend?” Bart chides while he mashes buttons on his controller.

 

“Not my boyfriend,” Tim mumbles, pocketing his phone yet again.

 

“But it is someone?” Kon asks.

 

“I mean… Yeah, I guess.”

 

“Ooooh, did you finally make a friend at school?”

 

“Not really…”

 

“Okay, so they’re not a boyfriend, and not a friend. Are you waiting to get a text from your greatest enemy?”

 

Tim sighs. “Look, he’s just a guy.”

 

Kon hums. “That always means it’s _not_ just a guy.”

 

“Whatever,” Tim grumbles.

 

“Well quit checking your phone and get ready to get your ass kicked in Mario Kart,” Bart says to him with a sly grin and Tim is glad the subject is officially changed.

 

Over the course of break, Tim doesn’t really doesn’t hear from Jason much. They text each other every few days about nothing important. And Tim may get crocked at the family Christmas dinner, and then go up to his room to take suggestive photos for Jason, which leads to some mediocre, yet effective sexting that has Tim hard in his pants.

 

“Wish u were here right now,” Tim wrote, attached with photos of himself down to his festive red lace panties that he’d changed into when he got upstairs..

 

“If i were there i’d be tearing that perky ass up,” Jason responded.

 

“Eating it up, i hope ;)”

 

“You come back to school with that underwear and you put them on for me i’ll eat anything you want.”

 

“Want you to eat this cock,” Tim typed, sending another picture, this time with his cock hanging over the top of the panties.

 

“Holy shit drake, where u been hidign that thing? I’ll swallow it down as soon as i see u back on campus.”

 

Tim knew at a later point in time, perhaps tomorrow morning when he wakes up with nausea and a pounding headache, he’ll regret this conversation. But for now, the only other place he’d rather be right now, besides touching his junk while imagining Jason Todd going down on him, is actually _with_ Jason Todd, going down on him.

 

He’s smoking with his friends when he finally tells them about Jason.

 

“I shotgunned with a hot guy at a party a few months ago. It was… nice.”

 

Kon looked over at him and grinned lazily. “I’m proud of you, Timmy. It’s about time you enjoyed yourself.”

 

The conversation could have ended there, but he kept going.

 

“His name is Jason. He’s really pretty, and has cool as fuck hair, and he smells really good.”

 

Next to him, Bart chuckles. “Define ‘cool as fuck hair’.”

 

“It’s all black, but there’s this white in it, too. Like _white_ , not gray.”

 

Bart laughs, “Like Cruella Deville?”

 

Tim stops for a moment and thinks. “Holy shit…”

 

Kon and Bart bust out laughing at him.

 

Then, Kon says, “So you like him?”

 

Tim groans and says, “ _Yes_ … I lied about a research paper to talk to him.”

 

“Jesus…”

 

“I even wrote a rough draft to keep the story going.”

 

“ _Jesus_ … You need serious help, man, that is _not_ the way to win hearts.”

 

Tim shrugged. “It seemed to work a little bit?”

 

Bart snorted. “Then you’re both idiots. You deserve each other.”

 

They all start laughing again and then they talk about a girl Kon’s been talking to and they eat a ton of junk and play Mario Kart until the sun comes up.

 

The rest of break is a lot like that. His friends do dumb things, he attends family obligations, then finds reasons to text Jason until he passes out, and every once in awhile, there’s some sexting. Tim never thought he’d miss Gotham University, and especially not the frat, yet here he was yearning to get back on campus. If only he could take Kon and Bart with him, it’d be perfect. But he has to say goodbye to them as they head back to Metropolis. Not long after he’s packing his bag and heading back to his room at the fraternity.

 

* * *

 

Jason had come to expect late night knocks on his door from Tim.

 

Tim always apologized for coming over late, something about school work or whatever, and Jason always told him it didn’t matter to him, he’s always up late anyway.

 

Jason had taken up having dinner with Tim, because Tim ate garbage and Jason wouldn’t stand for it.

 

“You are living in a house with a perfectly functioning stove and a full sized fridge, _why_ do you not take advantage of this.”

 

“Because take out is easier.”

 

So when their schedules allowed it, Tim trudged his way over to Jason’s apartment, sometimes on skateboard, which Jason really hadn’t been expecting, but still wasn’t the least bit surprised.

 

This evening, Tim had come over while snow was lightly flurrying outside, but throughout the visit the snow got heavier and a thick layer had built up outside. Tim looks out the window and groaned at the thought of even going outside.

 

“It’s going to be so cold and wet and _gross_ ,” Tim pouts.

 

“Stick that lip out any further and a bird will shit on it.”

 

Tim glares at him, then huffs and looks back out the window.

 

“Staring at it isn’t going to make it melt.”

 

“Ugh, but it’s cold, and wet, and gross--”

 

“Yes, gross, I heard you the first time. Will you stop whining if I let you crash on my couch?”

 

Tim thought it over for a moment, but then turned to say, “You don’t have enough blankets.”

 

“Pft. We managed last time.”

 

“ _You_ managed last time. I woke up with a kink in my neck that wouldn’t go away for two days.”

 

“You’re the one who pulled me down on the couch with you!” Jason threw his arms up in exasperation. “We’ll share the bed, then, princess.”

 

“Share the bed?” Tim repeats.

 

“Yeah?”

 

Jason had no idea where that solution came from. _Share the bed_. Christ, if you had told him months ago that he was going going to end up non-sexually sharing his bed with a guy he shotgunned with at a party, he would’ve laughed. Yet here he is, handing Tim a set of his clothes to sleep in and turning down the covers so they can get in.

 

Tim has enough sense to change in the bathroom this time, and something pulls in Jason’s chest when he sees him come out with Jason’s hoodie sitting loosely off his body and his gym shorts resting low on his hips.

 

Tim blushes when he crawls into bed next to Jason, and they turn their backs to each other to lay down. Jason had worried it might feel uncomfortable or awkward but… He feels okay. He closes his eyes and is about to drift off when he hears Tim roll over behind him.

 

“Jason,” he whispers.

 

“Yes, Tim.”

 

“I was wondering… If we could… Like last time…”

 

It takes Jason a second to realize what Tim means, but then he’s turning over and pulling Tim into his chest, like last time. He buries his nose in Tim’s soft hair, and softly runs his fingers up and down Tim’s back under the hoodie.

 

“Goodnight, Tim.”

 

“Night, Jay.”

 

They drift off into a comfortable sleep. They wake up the next morning and neither of them move to get out of bed yet, instead choosing to nuzzle into each other and stay comfortable for just a bit longer. Then Tim tilts his face to look up at Jason and Jason is looking down at him and then… They’re kissing.

 

It’s soft, and gentle, and slow, almost a complete contrast to their last kiss. Before it was urgent, it was hungry, it was delicious. This was soft and sweet.

 

They lazily lay and explore each other’s mouths, dipping their tongues in each other, tasting each other, fingertips running along skin and giving each other goosebumps.

 

They pull away panting, Tim still looking Jason.

 

“I really like you, Jason.”

 

Jason swallowed. “I really like you, too.”

 

“Jason, I was… I was wondering. Do you think maybe we could… go out?”

 

“LIke on a date?”

 

“Well… sure, that, but I was thinking of something. I was thinking of like… Being boyfriends.”

 

“Boyfriends…”

 

“Yeah, like… Official. We like each other, so… You know.”

 

And now Jason tenses up. He can kiss Tim, he can lie next to Tim, he can make him dinner every night, but the thought of being official and exclusive and boyfriends is just… is just…

 

“Tim, I… I don’t know.”

 

Tim is quiet for a long moment. And then, “What don’t you know?”

 

Jason pulls away, then props himself up on his elbow. “I just _don’t know_ … I don’t really date. Not like that that.”

 

The Tim sits up, sitting cross legged across from him. “You don’t date…”

 

Jason doesn’t say anything.

 

“You don’t date, but you’ll text me all the time, and you’ll cook for me, and you’ll let me stay over _in your bed_ , and _hold me_ all fucking night long, and touch me and kiss me, but you won’t _date_ me? Because you ‘don’t date’?”

 

This puts Jason on the defensive.

 

“Look, that’s just the way it is, alright? I don’t date. Get over it.”

 

“Get over it? What the fuck were we doing the last three months if you had no intention of dating? Jesus, it’d be different if you were just fucking me, but I thought… I thought…” Tim closed his mouth and leveled Jason with a look of pure internalized anger.

 

If looks could kill, Jason would be on his way to the morgue right now. Tim looked at him like he would like to reach across the bed and choke him. Tim gets out of the bed, shedding off Jason’s clothes and throwing them on the floor and quickly pulling his own clothes back on. Before he leaves the bedroom, he turns back and squares Jason with a hard look.

 

“Fuck you, Jason.”

 

He slams the door to the apartment. Jason doesn’t even bother getting out of bed after that. Fuck him and fuck his stupid hang ups, and fuck Tim for making him actually fucking feel something.

 

* * *

 

Tim finds himself, once again, face mashed against Dick Grayson’s crappy table. He was still _pissed_ at what Jason had said to him a few days ago, but there was also an emptiness inside, too. He didn’t like an of that, _at all_.

 

“I could kick his ass for you.”

 

Tim rolled his eyes, because as true as it may be that Dick could kick some serious ass, the situation wasn’t worth the fight. “Not really going to help me in anyway, but thanks.”

 

“So what, instead of using you for a booty call, he was using you for emotional affection?”

 

“I fucking guess.”

 

“Shit… that dude has fucking issues.”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Well… maybe he wasn’t using you.”

 

Tim looks up at Dick. “If he wasn’t using me, then we’d be together right now.”

 

“I don’t know, maybe he’s just scared. Some people are like that. Relationships freak them out. He probably does really like you, but relationships are intense and some people aren’t ready for them.”

 

“Hm. Maybe so. But it doesn’t matter. We’re finished.”

 

Tim spends the rest of the night thinking about that.

 

 _Maybe he’s just scared_.

 

Tim can understand that. Relationships _are_ scary and they _are_ intense. But then Tim remembers Jason’s emotionless face when he said _get over it_.

 

Tim can't get over it. He can't forgive Jason. Not for a long time.

 

* * *

 

“The fuck, Jay? What's wrong with you?!”

 

“If I knew, then I could fix the problem, and I wouldn't be having this conversation.”

 

“Good! This shouldn't be a conversation we have to have anyway!”

 

It wasn’t often that Roy was truly upset with him, but Roy had considered himself Jason and Tim’s matchmaker, for no good reason other than bringing Jason to the party, and then offering weed to Tim. So now, he wanted to see through to the success of their eventual and inevitable hooking up. But then, Jason ruined it.

 

Jason likes Tim, he really does. But Jason isn’t a _boyfriend_. Jason isn’t the guy that’s going to be there for you in the middle of the night, and honestly he was saving Tim from disappointment.

 

But when he thought about the look on Tim’s face, how hurt and angry he looked, it made Jason’s gut twist. He didn’t want to be the reason for that look on Tim’s face.

 

Roy sighed and then leveled him with a look. “Okay… Let’s think about this. Do you like Tim?”

 

“Yes…”

 

“So _why_ don’t you want to go out with him.”

 

“Because it wouldn’t work…”

 

“So you don’t like him enough to try?”

 

“I like him too much to try!” Jason surprises himself with his outburst, but for Roy to think Jason didn’t like Tim enough was absurd, given that if he _didn’t_ , he wouldn’t be sitting here talking to Roy about his issues. And he wouldn’t have tried to save Tim from disappointment to begin with.

 

“Alright, so you’re logic is that you’re not good enough for him, is what it sounds like?”

 

“Ugh, come on, man,” Jason pinches the bridge of his nose and regrets asking Roy for help.

 

“No, _you_ come on. I’m being serious. So you’re insecure. But dude, Tim likes you. He likes you enough to make the first move. He _wants_ to try. If he wants to try, and you like him, it seems like it’s worth a shot.”

 

Jason mulls that over. He likes Tim. Tim likes him. It should be that easy, but Jason can’t seem to think so.

 

“It doesn’t matter if either of us wants to try if he hates me. I think we need to work on that, first.”

 

“Right, so I know this is going to sound crazy,” Roy begins, “But you’re going to need to apologize.”

 

Jason is really debating throwing something at Roy.

 

“No shit. I just… He doesn’t want to see me, I know, and if I text him he won’t answer… I just don’t know what _to do_.”

 

"I don't really know why you're asking for my help on this kind of thing, man."

 

"Because you've been butting into this whole situation since day one!"

 

"Okay, okay, calm down," Roy says, and then stops for a moment to think. "Well, you could always just. Come to the party this weekend and talk to him face-to-face."

 

Jason grimaces. "I'm tired of going into that shitty house, their parties aren't even that good."

 

Roy rolls his eyes."Good thing we're not going for the party, then."

 

Jason still doesn't know how the hell things are going to get better by going to another party. If you ask him, that's what got him in this mess to begin with. But Roy just says, "Look you just show up. I'll figure something out."

 

* * *

 

 

Tim sulks on the sofa at yet another party. He tried really hard to sit in his room and pout and not talk to anyone but Roy had forced him out of the bedroom, onto the couch, and shoved a beer into his hand.  
  
"Loosen up a little, alright?"

 

What good that did in the first place.

 

So he sips his beer and watches the clock and waits until enough time has passed that he leave. He doesn't even enjoy people watching this time. He just sulks.

 

But eventually Roy shows back up again, and Tim doesn't like where this is going.

 

"Alright, Timmy. I think it's time to get some of this bud," he says, wagging his brows and holding up a baggy of weed. 

 

"No. Not again."

 

And then Roy pouts. "Come on, this is some of my best shit, and I'm breaking this out for you."

 

Tim sighs, "I'm not stupid, Roy. I know you're friends with Jason and you wanting to talk to me probably has something to do with... Whatever happened."

 

"Alright, fine, don't smoke, but at least come hang out with us in the circle? I promise, Jason isn't there, and we don't have to talk about it. I just wanna make sure you're all good, man."

 

Tim thought it out for a moment... He supposed he could just sit in the circle, get some fresh air, clear his mind a bit and listen to whatever the smokers have to ramble about. He warily gets up and follows Roy out back, ready to bolt as soon as something is amiss.

 

But he gets to the circle, and true to Roy's word, Jason is not there. Just a small group of people, ready to share a bowl. So Tim sits down, settles into the lawn chair, listens to his peers laugh, and tries not to be bombarded by memories of the last time he was in this circle. And thus, tries not to be bombarded by memories of having Jason help him with fake homework, or inviting him to his apartment, or laying in his bed and kissing and...

 

Tim's emotions were a wreck, sad one minute and angry the next. And it wasn't even like this was a break up, when they were never dating... But the feelings were still there. He's still hurt.

 

He's about to go back inside, gets up and turns around and...

 

Standing on the back porch is Jason Todd, looking at Tim. Tim turns back and rounds on Roy, furious. "You said he wouldn't be here!" he hisses, pointing at the porch.

 

" _No_ ," Roy clarifies, "I said he wouldn't be  _here._ I have no control over what he does otherwise." Tim huffs, but Roy continues. "Y'know, Timmy, you should really go talk to him if he walked himself all the way here for you."

 

"First of all, it's not that far of a walk. Second of all,  _no_."

 

Tim turns back to the house, stomps up onto the porch and into the house, ignoring Jason calling his name.

 

* * *

 

Jason stalked over to Roy.

 

"Alright, so do you have a fucking plan, or what, because me being here didn't work."

 

Roy took a hit from the bowl, exhaled, then said calmly, "Nope. My only real plan was to get you to agree to come here and to make sure he didn't sulk off to his room before you got here. Now you gotta do the rest on your own, Jay."

 

"The  _fuck_ , Harper, you said you could help me!"

 

"I am helping you. Now go talk to him, Jason, alright? Turn on some of that bad boy charm, flash your baby blues,  _something_."

 

Jason growls under his breath, turns away, almost punches the side of the house when he gets back up on the porch, but refrains. 

 

 _Fuck_ , this was so  _stupid_! He should have known better than to trust Roy, and he should have known better than to show up tonight. He stood on the porch for a long while, weighing his options. He can either man up and talk to Tim. Or he can go home and try to forget that Tim ever happened. Which would be very difficult, but not as difficult as actually facing his problems. But... He'll have to confront this some time, right? He's already walked all the way here, it's time to just talk about it... Right?

 

With a monumental effort, Jason makes his way through the house and up the stairs. He knocks on each of the doors until he hears Tim's voice call out.

 

"Busy."

 

"Tim..."

 

"Go away, Jason."

 

"Tim, come  _on_ ,  can't you give me like... five minutes?  _One_ minute?"

 

"No, Jason. This isn't a debate where you can argue your case."

 

"I think it is."

 

"Leave!"

 

But Jason refuses to leave. 

 

"Look, I  _do_ like you, okay? I didn't want to at first. At first I thought you were some dumb frat guy. And then I just... was afraid. I'm just afraid, Tim."

 

Tim opens the door enough to look at Jason, but not enough to invite him in or anything. He's already changed into pajamas. He looks at Jason expectantly, waiting for him to continue.

 

"Alright, I... I don't usually date, Tim. That's the truth. I don't usually trust people enough to date them. Most relationships end, and that shit sucks. I liked what we had. It was... It wasn't..." Jason fights to find the right words, wanting to say  _it wasn't anything_ , but knowing that's not at all what he wants to say.

 

 _It wasn't anything to be afraid of_.

 

"Jason... It scares me, too, alright? I know relationships are hard and scary and... They don't always work. But that doesn't mean we should never try them."

 

"Yeah... That's fair, I guess." Jason takes a deep breath. "Tim, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have said what I said. Definitely, not the way that I said it..."

 

"I'm sorry, too," Tim surprised him. "I just got mad and didn't let you explain or anything..."

 

"Hey, it's alright. You were right to be mad."

 

Tim shrugs, then opens the door the rest of the way and stands to the side. "Do you wanna come in?"

 

Jason steps into the room. It's messier than he would've thought, clothes and papers scattered everywhere. There's a small TV with the Netlfix browse screen up.

 

"What are you gonna watch?" Jason asks, pointing at the screen. 

 

Tim shrugs. "I hadn't decided yet..." Do you wanna stay and watch something with me?"

 

"I... Yeah, that'd be nice," Jason says, and he smiles and settles on the bed next to Tim, who wastes no time leaning against Jason's side. And Jason feels at ease for the first time in weeks.

 

They put on something stupid and somehow Tim ends up in his arms and they're kissing slow and sweet again, just like they were before everything went to shit for a minute. 

 

Jason likes this. He wants to keep doing this. And he wants Tim to be his.

 

"Tim, I... I think we should go out."

 

"Jason? Are you sure? What about being afraid?"

 

Jason shrugged, and snuck in another kiss before saying, "I don't want to lose this. I want this. I want  _you_... I want to be with you."

 

Tim chuckles, then puts his lips back on Jason's, smiling against his mouth. "I've been waiting for this," he whispers pulling away.

 

Tim hooks his leg around Jason's hip, and somehow pulls them closer together. His lips move lower, kissing Jason's neck, making him inhale sharply. 

 

"Tim..." He can't help but buck his hips against Tim. 

 

Tim's hands trail under Jason's shirt, lightly digging his nails into Jason's back. " _Tim..._ "

 

Jason moves his hands down to rest on Tim's hips, then his ass. Then he reaches them into the wasteband, Tim following suit.

 

Tim is already damp in his boxers, already leaking, and Jason isn't far behind. They rub each other off, first slow, panting heavy. Then they rub faster, breathing hard and moaning each other's names. Finally Tim releases, and his face is so beautiful as his mouth falls open and his eyes screw shut. It's not long until Jason follows.

 

"Oh,  _fuck_ ," Jason pants. "Fuck..."

 

"Nice..." Tim says.

 

"Nice...? Just nice?" Jason looked at him incredulously.

 

"Hush," Tim says, putting his lips on Jason's again. "Stay the night?"

 

"Mmm, but Roy. And the other frat douches."  
  
  


"Hey, they're not that bad. And they better get used to having my boyfriend around," Tim smirks at him. 

 

Jason sighs. "Yeah, I guess. But you're answering to them. I'm just going to grab a coffee and then slip out the back while Roy grills you."

 

Tim yawns, laying his head against Jason's chest. "Shut up, Jason. Go to bed."

 

"Damn alright."

 

But Jason doesn't think he's going to get any sleep that night. He's still amazed this night turned out the way it did, with Tim falling asleep on his chest and being able to rub his back while he falls asleep.

 

Jason is still scared. But he thinks this is worth it. And he's going to do what he can to make this work.

 

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked it! find me on Tumblr @fakegenjimain or twitter @werewolfbarbie


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